#80 • Bruce of Los Angeles (Bruce Bellas) “Robert Kendall,” 1954/1988 Silver Gelatin Photograph

Part of Beefcake Galore (timed auction by KJK Auction Hub)

High bid $70.00

Status: Sold

Bruce of Los Angeles (Bruce Bellas) “Robert Kendall,” 1954/1988 Silver Gelatin Photograph Large-format silver gelatin photograph by noted American male physique photographer Bruce Bellas, known professionally as Bruce of Los Angeles, depicting model Robert Kendall posed outdoors against a mountainous landscape. Image originally photographed in 1954; this silver gelatin print produced in 1988. Verso bears an estate stamp, according to the Wessel O’Connor Ltd. gallery label. Framed and matted, measuring approximately 16 x 20 inches as noted on gallery label. Frame measures 26" x 24.5” Provenance includes Wessel O’Connor Ltd., New York, with label stating the work was donated by John Wessel & Billy O’Connor of Wessel O’Connor Gallery. Bruce of Los Angeles was a pioneering figure in mid-20th-century male physique photography, producing imagery that has since become closely associated with the history of male physique, LGBTQ+ photography and gay visual culture. His photographs are represented in the secondary fine-art photography market and have been exhibited by established galleries.